The packaging industry has recently recognized the value of disassemblable and reusable shipping frames for use in packaging large, heavy articles of manufacture. An example of such a shipping frame is exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,413, the disclosures of which are incorporated in their entirety by reference. These reusable shipping frames are presently being used to ship and store large, heavy goods such as an inboard or outboard marine engines.
As disclosed in the foregoing patent such shipping frames are characterized by having a base skeleton, leg members and a top skeleton that are joined together to form a unitary structure which supports and protects an article during shipment. The parts of the shipping frame may be made of structural foam material which absorbs shock that may otherwise damage the article during shipment.
The base skeleton is formed of integrally molded peripheral members arranged to define the outer margins of the bottom side of the shipping frame. This lower portion is also designed to receive the tines of a fork lift truck.
A cross brace member is integrally molded with said peripheral base members and extends between these base members. The cross brace member includes a mounting portion and a support portion. The mounting portion is shaped to accommodate an article such as an engine whereas the support portion is designed to distributed the load to the base members.
The top skeleton is formed of integrally molded peripheral top members arranged to define the outer margins of the top side of the shipping frame. This top skeleton is designed so that, if turned upside down and rotated 180 degrees, it will nest with the base skeleton and form a substantially flat assembly for compactness during return shipments.
The leg members are used to space apart the bottom and top skeletons and define the lateral sides of the shipping frame. As the leg members are removable from the top and base skeletons, they too may be arranged to lay flat during return shipments.
Presently, fasteners such as nuts and bolts or straps and bands are used to secure an article of manufacture to the shipping frame. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,413 discloses that the stern mounting bracket of an outboard marine engine may be fastened with nuts and bolts or clamps to one cross brace member and another cross-brace member will cradle the engine's lower gear case, with bands securing the lower gear case to the cross brace member. Usually, different fastening arrangement will be needed for the various types of articles that are packaged in this shipping frame.
Problems arise when an article is unable to be laid on the mounting portion of the cross brace member of U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,413 without causing damage to the article. This situation may arise if an article's engineering design criteria did not consider the problems associated with shipping or storage. This situation may also arise if economic considerations do not allow for the additional expenses necessary to overcome these problems.
For example, the automotive industry is faced with a fiercely competitive environment in which consumers desire economic and high mileage vehicles. Thus, manufacturers are not afforded the opportunity to take into consideration the many problems associated with shipping and storing the automobile engines prior to installing them in an automobile. Consequently, many engines are mounted on non-returnable wood bucks and rest on their oil pan flange. This shipping arrangement very often causes damage to the engine, generally in the oil pan flange area and increases the cost of the vehicle. This type of problem is typical for the shipping industry.
The present invention is provided to solve these and other problems.